Boycott of Euro 2012 is counterproductive – Ukraine official

Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic are against the boycott

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KIEV, May 10 (Itar-Tass) — The secretary of the Ukrainian Council for National Security and Defense, Andrei Kluyev, believes the possible boycott of UEFA Euro 2012 football matches is counterproductive, the Council’s press service said on Thursday.

“Mixing up sports and politics will not make it possible to settle any political issue, but can only mar the joy of hosting the matches that millions of fans wait for,” he said. “Pressure and ultimatums have never yielded constructive results,” Kluyev stressed. “Sports must unite Europe instead of disuniting it,” he added.

In this connection he welcomed the position of Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski, which, according to him, testifies to a consistent policy of Poland towards ensuring strategic partnership with Ukraine. He also expressed an opinion that the constructive stance of the leadership of Poland as well as the Czech Republic and Slovakia, is in line with general European interests.

A number of Western politicians, among them European commissioners, said earlier they would boycott Ukrainian matches of Euro-2012 due to the ex-Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko situation.

At the same time, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic are against the boycott.